This invention relates to optical data receiver systems and more particularly it relates to TDM (time division multiplexed) optical data receiver systems. The term optical data receiver systems when used herein, includes systems in which data is transmitted using light in the visible and/or non-visible spectra.
Optical data receiver systems for the reception of TDM data are used in telecommunication signal routers and other high-speed fibre optic networks. One such system is described in the specification accompanying our PCT Patent Publication No. WO 01/10165 A1, to which attention is hereby directed, wherein optically compressed data packets are required to be appropriately routed and decompressed. In such systems there is an ever present requirement to increase data handling rates and to reduce fabrication costs as well as size and power consumption.